


Bag of Tricks

by jarofbeees



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/F, Mild Gore, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 02:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5316443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarofbeees/pseuds/jarofbeees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sole Survivor is still learning how to think on her feet. When Piper is threatened, she thinks very quickly. A little suggestion from Cait helps, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bag of Tricks

Gravel scuffed under boots, rough grunts and a shrill cry filling the air.

"Blue!"

Nora whipped around, eyes focusing down the barrel of her pistol. She choked back a gasp, bile lapping at the back of her throat. A grungy man, some pile of Raider trash, had one dirty arm wrapped around Piper's head, his hand gripped around the top of her forehead. His other hand shoved a gun against her, the muzzle firmly pressing into her jaw.

This wasn't a game. This wasn't even a bad movie. Nora swallowed hard, realizing she couldn't just talk herself out of this one. Maybe before. Before this whole nightmare started, back before the bombs dropped, she could scare roughnecks like this with laws and statutes. This world had no laws, only survival.

"Drop the gun!" From this distance Nora could see the Raider's blood-tinged eyes. His fingers trembled against the trigger. "And all your shit, too. Caps, chems, whatever you got. Or this bitch gets it."

"Get your fucking hands off of her." Nora ground her teeth, reluctantly lowering her gun. She didn't dare pull her attention off Piper, not now.

"Just...just do what he says, Blue." Nora caught Piper's eyes darting between her and her weapon. Even after just a few short weeks of traveling, Nora could read Piper's body language as well as her newspapers. _Stuff can be replaced. We can't._ Panic gripped her chest, making each breath heavier than the last.

Nora flicked the safety on her gun, lowering it to the ground. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the Raider's finger slide away from the trigger. Stimpacks and ammo clattered to the floor beside her. Slipping her hand into her hip pouch, a thought jarred her memory. She popped her head up, eyes flashing at Piper before turning her attention back to the Raider.

"All our caps are in this bag." She pulled a drawstring pouch out, jingling the caps around. "You let her go, it's all yours."

"Caps first. I'm no fuckin' amateur."

"Neither am I." She nearly growled. "Same time. Deal?"

"Think you're tough, showin' off to your lady friend?" The man grinned, thin lips peeling back to reveal all five of his brown teeth. He holstered his gun, easing his grip slightly as Nora held the bag before her. Just as he took it, she latched onto Piper's wrist, yanking the woman into her arms. Piper let out a long sigh of relief, her arms having found their way around Nora's waist. Satisfied with the exchange, the Raider shoved a fat finger into the pouch, ripping open the drawstring. A faint click echoed against the dilapidated walls.

"Run," Nora whispered calmly against Piper's ear. The other woman glanced at her, brows furrowed in confusion. Nora couldn't afford to explain.

_5_

Nora grabbed Piper by the shoulders, roughly shoving her towards the door. The two women nearly tripped, their legs tangled in Nora's frantic rush.

_4_

Reaching the doorway, Nora spun back on her heels, eyes catching the confused look on the Raider.

_3_

She shoved Piper to the side, pushing both of them down to the ground behind the remnant of a wall. Piper yelped in surprise. Nora reminded herself to apologize afterwards.

_2_

Nora flattened herself against Piper's back, her body meshing up perfectly against the journalist. She grabbed Piper's hands, clapping them over her ears before covering her own ears up.

_1_

She could hear Cait's voice in her head. _"This trick's always fun if the other guys an idiot. Gotta hurry, though. It takes just a little longer than your first boyfriend did."_ Nora would definitely have to buy Cait a drink or three.

She pressed her face down into Piper's hair. She told herself it was to protect the other woman, but she couldn't deny the intoxicating combination of sweat and sweet perfume. The blast wave hit first, jarring both women from their spots. Nora braced them both by jamming her elbows into the ground, her knees locked around Piper's legs. The heat followed after, washing over Nora's back. Last was the shower of dust and wood splinters. A few heavy chunks of cement landed around them, one knocking hard into her shoulder, knocking the air from her lungs. Piper stiffened underneath her. Something landed near their heads with a wet splat.

Nora groaned, rolling off of Piper as she tried to assess her shoulder.

"Blue!" Piper blinked like a startled doe, her eyes jumping from the rubble surrounding them and back to Nora. "What the...what just _happened_? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You should see the other guy." Nora smirked, rolling onto her knees.

"Which piece?" Piper stood, offering a hand to Nora. The two dusted themselves off, checking the other for injuries. "We should get your back looked at."

"Let's get our stuff first." Nora tested her shoulder, rolling it until she found a satisfying pop.

"You mean after all that, you're still worried about some caps? Maybe I need to teach you about priorities, Blue."

"Don't worry," Nora chuckled softly to herself, sorting through the debris and assorted carnage. "I've got my priorities just right." She reached her hand under a broken bookcase, emerging with a perfectly intact, if not slightly singed hat. Piper's hat. She rubbed off most of the dirt, gently placing it back on the journalist's head. "There. Now we can go."

"You..." Piper opened her mouth to speak, but the words never came. A slight blush bloomed underneath her freckles. Nora couldn't stop herself from staring, hoping that sight could just burn itself into the back of her mind. "You're something else, Blue."

**Author's Note:**

> My writing is still fairly rusty, but I hope to post little drabbles like this more often. Feel free to follow me at jarofbeees.tumblr.com for more stuff!


End file.
